A blog for vintage Barbie collectors, and all those who loved Barbie growing up and still love her today! For more detailed information on the complete vintage era, foreign dolls, history, and even some newer dolls, please visit my reference website at: www.MyVintageBarbies.com

Thursday, August 8, 2013

1966 Christmas Morning
My Barbie Fashion Shop
all wrapped up behind Me,
and my Barbie Keys to
Fame game in front of me.

Today I glanced over and saw my fashion shop, which brings
back so many memories from my childhood. It was one of my favorite
Christmas presents. I received it Christmas morning in 1966, which would
make it 47 years this coming December! Unfortunately I don’t have the
original anymore, but I found myself another one years ago.

Front of the Box

This cardboard structure is everything girls dream about
when playing Barbie; shopping, fashions, spending time with friends, and going
to a fashion show.

﻿

From the Outside Looking In

It comes with two walls that include shelves, a stage with
curtain and backstage door, a closet, and a large picture window that holds a
Barbie size mannequin. There’s a corner unit connecting the two walls
that includes an outside window.

Invitations, Modeling Cards and Magazines

Free standing is a table, two chairs,
three-way mirror, display case, 8 fashion card invitations, 8 modeling cards,
and 3 cardboard magazines (Style Magazine, Sub Deb Fashions, and Barbie
Magazine). There is even a cardboard hat mannequin that fits in the
outside corner window on which to display hats.

﻿

All Set Up!

The set included a sign
announcing the fashion show and a 16 page instruction booklet. The yellow
cardboard floor folds up and has a strap so the items can fit easily inside for
storage, and also makes for a handy carrying case. The set measures
38x24x17, and originally sold for $4.47.

Part of the Instructions Booklet
showing how to close it up for storage

The Fashion Shop was produced in 1963 (as stated on the back
of the box) and was on the market for several years. The 1964 Sears
Christmas catalog calls it a Fashion Salon, probably because the front of the
box reads “Complete with modeling salon and elegant furniture and fittings”
just below the words “Barbie’s Fashion Shop by Mattel”. The box front
also shows Mattel’s famous slogan “You can Tell It’s Mattel…It’s Swell!”

1964 Sears Christmas Catalog

This great piece of American toy history is one of the more
popular items for collectors. I sure like mine!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

The Takara Barbie doll was released in 1982, when Mattel teamed up
with Takara Company to develop a fashion doll.At the time Barbie had been in the Japanese market for quite some time, but
she wasn’t that popular with the girls there.

With a few key changes made by Mattel and Takara, they had what they
needed to boost sales in the Japanese market.The new Takara Barbie was extremely popular.

Lower Portion of the Back of the Box

Takara Barbie stood 10 1/2 inches tall, which is just a bit shorter
than the standard Barbie who stands at 11 1/2 inches tall.The Takara Barbie had a "smaller, not so
voluptuous" figure, with rounder eyes and a rounder face. Her figure was more like that of Francie,
Twiggy and Casey.She was fashioned
after Agnes Lam, who was a popular model and actress in Japan in the late
1970's.

﻿

Takara Barbie Kimono Collection

The Takara Barbie was manufactured in several different styles
between 1982 and 1985. There was the
beautiful “Excelina Barbie Doll”, who was dressed in more extravagant clothes. She was considered a “High Quality Fashion
doll" with a "High Grade Barbie Dress Collection" as her doll
box states.These dolls are harder to
find and you are likely to pay a higher price for them.
﻿

Excelina Collection

Other new releases in Japan included the “Kimono Collection”.These dolls were dressed in traditional kimono
attire.The popular casually dressed
dolls from the “Casual City Girl” collection, the Candy Pop Collection, and the “Fruit Kiss dolls” were very
popular.They were just so cute! There was a sporty summertime collection which
was named the “Sun Shower Barbie”.There
was the beautifully dressed “Crystal collection” and “Dream Party Collection”. Little girls in Japan now had a wonderful selection of Barbie dolls to choose from.

﻿

Fruit Kiss Barbie

Her fashions that were sold separately also provided many choices.She had simple outfits, school uniforms,
everyday western style clothes, beautiful kimonos and cutting edge fashions. Some of the collections were named: “Candy
Pop”, “Fur Dress Collection”, “Excelina Collection”, and “Dress Collection”.She even had Pak items, which were packaged
individual items that were sold at a less expensive price.

﻿

The Fur Dress Collection

In her box she came with a clear plastic stand, a pamphlet showing
other Takara dolls and fashions, and of course the blonde TakaraBarbie doll.﻿﻿

Portion of the Pamphlet showing Ken and Barbie

Takara Ranze

Ranze is the brunette version of the Takara Barbie. She had long black straight hair with dark
eyes.She came dressed in a lace and
satin style dress which was available in several different colors.Ranze was named after a popular character in the
Japanese comic strip “Tokimeki Tonight”.Takara even pictured the comic character on their Takara Ranze box.She is a tremendously hard doll to find on
the secondary market.

Part of the 30 volume Tokimeki Tonight Set

﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿

One book from the Tokimeki Tonight Comic Book Set

Also available during this time period was the Takara Ken
doll.He had the rounder face and eyes
with rooted hair, just like Takara Barbie and Ranze.He came dressed in several different fashions
and had clothes that were sold separately for him as well.

﻿﻿

The only Takara Barbie doll that was available in the U.S. was the
Barbie convention doll.She was given to
the 250 people who attended the “Around the World Barbie Festival”, which was
held in Romulus, Michigan in July 1985.

Convention Doll (1985)Notice the silver convention sticker below her hand on the front of the box

By early 1986 Takara Company changed Barbie’s name to Jenny, since
the Takara Company wasn't licensed with Mattel to use the Barbie name
anymore.Takara Ken’s name was changed
to Jeff.These dolls were still produced
with the same high quality as the older version Barbie dolls.Only the packaging was changed to reflect the
new names.

﻿﻿

Takara Jenny

Takara Jenny's Hair

The early Takara Barbie, Ken, and Ranze dolls are highly sought
after and can be very hard to find.They
are just another fun doll to add to your Barbie collection.

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About Me

I'm Marie, and as you can see I love collecting Barbie. I've been collecting vintage Barbie dolls for over twenty-five years!I'm married to my high school sweetheart, and we have three children, five grandchildren, and a loveable Standard Poodle puppy. We live in the beautiful state of Oregon on five peaceful acres. Country living is just the best! We are close to the Ocean, which is my favorite, and we are a short drive to the mountains as well. Oregon has the best of both worlds! We also love photography and traveling, so you'll find a bit of that here too.

Be sure to check out my reference web site! There is so much information and history!

My Hubby, Keith

Wilson

Our Standard Poodle

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